Are you looking for a way to manage more complex or unique customer data in Eloqua? Eloqua Custom Data Objects (CDOs) might be the solution you need! CDOs let you store additional data like purchase histories, form submissions, or event attendance beyond what Eloqua’s standard fields can handle. With Eloqua Custom Data Objects, you can create richer profiles for your contacts, build smarter campaigns, and deliver highly personalized marketing experiences. Let’s explore how CDOs work, why they’re valuable, and how you can use them to take your marketing to the next level.
Why Use Eloqua Custom Data Objects?
In Eloqua, CDOs are your answer to handling data that changes frequently. Eloqua’s default fields capture basic contact details like email addresses, but Eloqua Custom Data Objects allow you to store more, such as promo codes, purchase histories, or campaign-specific info. They’re fantastic for enhancing segmentation and targeting so you can deliver personalized marketing experiences.
CDOs are also great for managing one-to-one or one-to-many relationships. This means you can link multiple records to a single contact or account, which you can use to track multiple purchases, interactions, or other activities over time.
How to Create and Manage CDOs?
Creating an Eloqua Custom Data Object is easy! Here’s how:
- Define the Object – Start by naming your Eloqua Custom Data Object and setting up fields (like text, numbers, or dates).
- Link to Contacts or Accounts – Choose a key field, like email, to connect the CDO with existing contact or account records.
- Customize Fields – Add specific fields to store exactly what you need, like purchase history, product preferences, or event attendance.
Once your CDO is set up, you can use it across Eloqua workflows. For instance, connect an Eloqua form to update CDO records when someone submits it. CDOs also sync with platforms like Salesforce, making integration smooth and easy.
Managing Custom Object Records:
With your CDO ready, here’s how to keep it up to date:
- Bulk Uploads – Upload records all at once or set up scheduled auto-syncs.
- Form Submissions – Use forms to collect and update data.
- Automated Updates – Use update rules in campaigns, programs, or program builders to update records.
- Deletion – Remove outdated records using the program canvas.
How to Use Eloqua Custom Data Objects?
CDO can enhance different areas of Eloqua:
- Segmentation – Filter contacts based on CDO data to create focused segments. Use the Has Linked Contact in Custom Object filter criteria to create segments depending upon the requirement to pull the data from the respective CDO.
- Campaigns and Programs – Use CDO-based decision steps to route contacts as needed. Use the Compare Custom Object Fields decision step to retrieve CDO contacts, and then route them to the desired path for further processing depending upon the requirement.
- Lead Scoring – Score leads with models that include custom record data.
- Dynamic Content – Design emails or landing pages that automatically update content to match each contact’s preferences or actions.
- Field Merges – Personalize emails and landing pages, and pre-populate form values with CDO data.
- Insight Reporting – Set up reports for CDO data, allowing up to 25 custom objects for reporting. Each CDO can include a maximum of 25 text fields, 10 numeric fields, and 10 date/time fields.
Guidelines and Limitations:
Here are some important things to know:
- Contact Link – CDOs link to contacts via an email field, but this isn’t the only unique identifier you can use.
- One Contact per CDO Record – Each record links to one contact or account.
- Text Field Limits – Each small text field holds up to 250 characters, large text fields up to 32,000.
- Database Capacity – A single CDO can store up to 5 million records, with a database limit of 25 million CDO records overall.
- Field Limits per CDO – Each CDO can have up to 1,024 fields.
- Time zone – Date and time data in custom objects follow the Eastern Time Zone in both storage and display.
Conculsion:
Eloqua Custom Data Objects gives you the power to manage data flexibly and deliver personalized, effective marketing. From segmentation to automation and reporting, CDOs bring a new level of control, helping you better engage customers and drive results. CDOs make data flow smoother for teams integrating with Salesforce or other systems, ultimately boosting data integrity across platforms.
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Unlock the full potential of your data with Marmato Digital!
Our team specializes in creating and utilizing Custom Data Objects (CDOs) in Eloqua to help you manage and leverage your data more effectively. Whether you’re looking to store unique customer information, enhance your segmentation, or personalize your marketing, we can help you set up and optimize CDOs for maximum flexibility. Contact us today to learn how we can take your data management and marketing to the next level!
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